A Double Taboo? An Exploratory Study Of Mental Health Perceptions Amongst Black Aerospace Professionals, 2024 University of Nebraska at Omaha
A Double Taboo? An Exploratory Study Of Mental Health Perceptions Amongst Black Aerospace Professionals, Theodore W. Johnson Ph.D., Arlean Timmons, Kenisha V. Ford, Harriet Sanya
National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)
This exploratory study delves into the often-overlooked realm of mental health perceptions among Black aerospace professionals, shedding light on a double taboo within a historically stigmatized industry and community. In response to the escalating mental health crisis in the U.S. and scarcity of research focusing exclusively on the mental health experiences of Black aerospace professionals, this research endeavors to uncover their unique perspectives.
The findings from the study indicate that Black aerospace professionals navigate not only the universal challenges of mental health but also complex socio-cultural and workplace factors, such as discrimination, underrepresentation, and the historic reluctance to discuss mental …
Understanding Collegiate Aviation Pilot Mental Performance Studies And Future Research Opportunities, 2024 Purdue University
Understanding Collegiate Aviation Pilot Mental Performance Studies And Future Research Opportunities, Debra Henneberry, Stephanie Brown, Flavio Coimbra, Julius Keller
National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (2022), fatigue is defined as “a condition characterized by increased discomfort with lessened capacity for work, reduced efficiency of accomplishment, loss of power or capacity to respond to stimulation, and is usually accompanied by a feeling of weariness and tiredness” (p. 2). Further outcomes of fatigue include tiredness, weakness, lack of energy, lethargy, depression, and lack of motivation (ICAO, 2016). Stress can release cortisol which can in turn cause sleep issues leading to fatigue (Harvard, 2021). In one study Mendonca, Keller, and Albelo (2023) found 69% (n = 192) percent of collegiate aviation pilots …
Examination Of Urban Air Mobility Integration Into The National Airspace System, 2024 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Examination Of Urban Air Mobility Integration Into The National Airspace System, Richard Stansbury, Clyde Rinkinen, William B. Coyne, Mykyta Zhyla, Randon Senn, Maaliyah Bowden
National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)
The Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) initiative aims to enhance air transportation for people and cargo in areas with limited aviation services. The Urban Air Mobility (UAM) concept, under AAM, focuses on improving transportation connectivity within metropolitan areas. The FAA’s ASSURE UAS Center of Excellence has sponsored a project to provide recommendations for future technological developments, UAM airspace integration, infrastructure enhancements, and new regulations to support UAM flights. The team’s first milestone was a literature review to identify past work relevant to UAM, including airspace and operational constraints, infrastructure requirements, and communication, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) requirements. Two dominant concepts of …
Integrating Unmanned Aerial Systems For Enhanced Wildlife Hazard Assessment In Airport Environments, 2024 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Integrating Unmanned Aerial Systems For Enhanced Wildlife Hazard Assessment In Airport Environments, Savanna Box, Anna Golendukhina, Raymond Ayres, Nicholas Buckalew
National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)
Our team has explored the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) technologies to develop a concept of operations for data collection during a Wildlife Hazard Assessment. Data have been collected in a farmland area located two nautical miles south of Daytona Beach International Airport (Class C Airspace). The research team has applied and assessed the effectiveness of several Safety Risk Management protocols designed to ensure safe UAS operations during a WHA. The UAS crew has applied drone technologies to visually detect and record wildlife observations, activities, and natural habitats that could attract wildlife to the airport environment, as recommended by …
Using Natural Language Processing To Identify Mental Health Indicators In Aviation Voluntary Safety Reports, 2024 Fort Hill Group
Using Natural Language Processing To Identify Mental Health Indicators In Aviation Voluntary Safety Reports, Michael Sawyer, Katherine Berry, Amelia Kinsella, R Jordan Hinson, Edward Bynum
National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)
Voluntary Safety Reporting Programs (VSRPs) are a critical tool in the aviation industry for monitoring safety issues observed by the frontline workforce. While VSRPs primarily focus on operational safety, report narratives often describe factors such as fatigue, workload, culture, staffing, and health, directly or indirectly impacting mental health. These reports can provide individual and organizational insights into aviation personnel's physical and psychological well-being. This poster introduces the AVIation Analytic Neural network for Safety events (AVIAN-S) model as a potential tool to extract and monitor these insights. AVIAN-S is a novel machine-learning model that leverages natural language processing (NLP) to analyze …
Functional Monitoring For Run-Time Assurance Of A Real-Time Cyber Physical System, 2024 Virginia Commonwealth University
Functional Monitoring For Run-Time Assurance Of A Real-Time Cyber Physical System, Matthew W. Gelber
Theses and Dissertations
As cyber-physical systems (CPS) become more integrated into everyday life, the security of these systems must also be considered during their development due to their ever-increasing importance. With the growth of physical components in the system, more autonomous control requirements, and increased dependence on proper functionality, verifying system safety and correct operation becomes increasingly difficult. CPS have become more complex through the combination of additional hardware and the resulting interconnected software in many layers, each requiring unique security solutions. One example of such a safety-critical CPS embedded system is the Flight Control System (FCS) of an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). …
Virtual Reality & Pilot Training: Existing Technologies, Challenges & Opportunities, 2024 University College Dublin
Virtual Reality & Pilot Training: Existing Technologies, Challenges & Opportunities, Tim Marron M.S., Niall Dungan Bsc, Captain, Brian Mac Namee Phd, Anna Donnla O'Hagan Phd
Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research
The introduction of virtual reality (VR) to flying training has recently gained much attention, with numerous VR companies, such as Loft Dynamics and VRpilot, looking to enhance the training process. Such a considerable change to how pilots are trained is a subject that warrants careful consideration. Examining the effect that VR has on learning in other areas gives us an idea of how VR can be suitably applied to flying training. Some of the benefits offered by VR include increased safety, decreased costs, and increased environmental sustainability. Nevertheless, some challenges ahead for developers to consider are negative transfer of learning, …
Airspace Saturation And Midair Collision Risk: A Case Study At A Class D Airport, 2024 Purdue University
Airspace Saturation And Midair Collision Risk: A Case Study At A Class D Airport, Luigi Raphael I. Dy, John H. Mott
International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace
Near midair collisions are precursor events to actual collisions and may be an indicator of risk. While previous studies have used reports of near midair collisions to relate factors such as airspace saturation to near midair collisions, the reports relied upon were generally subjective in nature. With the adoption of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B), the approximate position of every equipped aircraft can be recorded. A six-month case study was performed at the Purdue University airport to relate the number of 1000-foot proximity events to airspace saturation, and whether the Class D airspace affected this relationship. Through a logistic regression analysis, …
Comparative Analysis Of Aviation And Ground Transportation Safety Standards Applicable To The Integration Of Unmanned Aircraft Operations, 2024 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Comparative Analysis Of Aviation And Ground Transportation Safety Standards Applicable To The Integration Of Unmanned Aircraft Operations, Andrew Walker
International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace
This study performed a comparative analysis of SMS in both the aviation and ground transportation industries to identify any gaps that may impact aviation safety by incorporating UAS operations within the ground transportation industry. The study reviewed relevant literature and compared the FAA SMS and FMCSA SMC policy components. The study also compared the implementation of OSHA requirements within the aviation and ground transportation industries. After reviewing the relevant policy components, the study finds that differences in safety standards between the FAA SMA and FMCSA SMC would impact safety. The study recommends that the SMC incorporate process descriptions for SRM …
Traffic Monitoring System, 2023 Bowling Green State University
Traffic Monitoring System, Elizabeth Suda
Honors Projects
The Traffic Monitoring System (TMS) was implemented at the Bowling Green Flight Center as a pre-planning traffic volume tool for flight instructors to utilize when deciding on a safe location for a training event. The TMS allows the instructor to pre-determine a location during the preflight planning stage that provides the best traffic separation, rather than finding out once airborne that an designated flight training area is overcrowded leading to greater collision hazards. The Traffic Management System has provided Bowling Green Flight Center pilots and instructors with greater situational awareness of traffic and increased safety margins in flight training.
A Qualitative Ethnographic Case Study Exploring The Hispanic/Latinx Interpretations Of Collegiate Aviation Safety Culture, 2023 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
A Qualitative Ethnographic Case Study Exploring The Hispanic/Latinx Interpretations Of Collegiate Aviation Safety Culture, Jorge L. D. Albelo Ph.D., Leo G. Acosta, Flavio A. C. Mendonca Ph.D., Eugene Kim, Felipe Almodovar
Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering
Through a combination of ethnographic principles and a qualitative case study structure, this study strives to understand how Hispanic/ Latinx aviation students perceive the current aviation safety culture in their flight training program. Grounded in the reciprocal safety culture model, the researchers attempt to answer how does Hispanic/Latinx culture influence perceptions towards commitment to aviation safety? and what are Hispanic/Latinx students’ perceptions of their ability to influence aviation safety culture? Three major themes emerged from the data: behavioral signs of safety culture at the collegiate level, obstacles to a sound safety culture, and methods to improve the safety culture. Moreover, …
Identification And Validation Of A Predicted Risk-Taking Propensity Model Among General Aviation Pilots, 2023 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Identification And Validation Of A Predicted Risk-Taking Propensity Model Among General Aviation Pilots, Joel Samu
Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses
Risk-taking, a persistent topic of interest and concern in aviation, has been linked with unsafe behaviors and accidents. However, risk-taking propensity is a complex construct that encompasses numerous factors still being researched. Even within the limited research available about the factors affecting pilots’ risk-taking propensity, studies have yielded inconsistent results. Therefore, this quantitative study explores existing and novel factors that predict the propensity for risk-taking among general aviation (GA) pilots in the United States.
This study, conducted in two stages, involved developing a prediction model using backward stepwise regression to predict pilots’ risk propensity, followed by model fit testing using …
Evidence-Based Managerial Decision-Making With Machine Learning: The Case Of Bayesian Inference In Aviation Incidents, 2023 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Evidence-Based Managerial Decision-Making With Machine Learning: The Case Of Bayesian Inference In Aviation Incidents, Aaron Glassman, Burak Cankaya, Kazim Topuz, Dursun Delen
Publications
Understanding the factors behind aviation incidents is essential, not only because of the lethality of the accidents but also the incidents’ direct and indirect economic impact. Even minor incidents trigger significant economic damage and create disruptions to aviation operations. It is crucial to investigate these incidents to understand the underlying reasons and hence, reduce the risk associated with physical and financial safety in a precarious industry like aviation. The findings may provide decision-makers with a causally accurate means of investigating the topic while untangling the difficulties concerning the statistical associations and causal effects. This research aims to identify the significant …
Investigating The Costs And Economic Impact Of Flight Delays In The Aviation Industry And The Potential Strategies For Reduction, 2023 California State University, San Bernardino
Investigating The Costs And Economic Impact Of Flight Delays In The Aviation Industry And The Potential Strategies For Reduction, Ashmith Anupkumar
Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations
This study addressed a critical issue in our travel life: flight delays. This study covers all aspects of a flight delay, from its causes and consequences to reduction strategies. The focused research questions were: To determine the outcome of flight delays in the aviation industry, to determine costs associated with flight delays for airlines, airports, and passengers, and to determine strategies for reducing flight delays in the aviation industry for robust findings. The findings for each question were as follows: the primary causes were overscheduling, airport hubbing, late check-ins, technical failure, etc. And the consequences were significant financial loss, the …
Design And Implementation Of High-Efficiency, Lightweight, System-Friendly Solid-State Circuit Breaker, 2023 Clemson University
Design And Implementation Of High-Efficiency, Lightweight, System-Friendly Solid-State Circuit Breaker, Dehao Qin
All Dissertations
Direct current (DC) distribution system has shown potential over the alternative current (AC) distribution system in some application scenarios, e.g., electrified transportation, renewable energy, data center, etc. Because of the fast response speed, DC solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) becomes a promising technology for the future power electronics intensive DC energy system with fault-tolerant capability. First, a thorough literature survey is performed to review the DC-SSCB technology. The key components for DC-SSCB, including power semiconductors, topologies, energy absorption units, and fault detection circuits, are studied. It is observed that the prior studies mainly focus on the basic interruption capability of the …
The Impact Of Flight On Cabin Crew Wellness: A Literature Review, 2023 Liberty University
The Impact Of Flight On Cabin Crew Wellness: A Literature Review, Ashleigh Roderick
Senior Honors Theses
Since its conception in 1903, aviation has captivated the attention of people across the globe and has been utilized in many sectors of society. Aviation related occupations pose a unique set of risks to those working in the field, health risks being one of the most prominent. Cancer, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal ailments, and genetic damage have all been studied as potential consequences of working in the aviation industry, as some studies indicate a higher prevalence of these issues in aviation employees. Apart from physiological issues, mental health issues have also been observed in those working in aviation. Mental health issues …
Covid-19: Visualized Qualitative Aviation Research Themes, 2023 Purdue University
Covid-19: Visualized Qualitative Aviation Research Themes, Chien-Tsung Lu, Huabo Sun
Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering
The purpose of this study is to review pandemic-related publications that help the aviation industry cope with pandemic outbreaks like that of COVID-19. Published documents were searched and downloaded from academic libraries including Web of Science for a qualitative analysis. After the triangulation of publications for decisionmakers, and researchers, all important research clusters were visually generated based on the VOSviewer process. Some research clusters were further discussed for a thorough understanding of existing research perspectives. The result discovered that wearing a face mask and vaccination have been the two most effective means to counteract pandemic outbreaks. Additional findings were extracted …
Language As A Factor In Aviation Accidents And Serious Incidents: A Handbook For Accident Investigators Ed. 3, 2023 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Language As A Factor In Aviation Accidents And Serious Incidents: A Handbook For Accident Investigators Ed. 3, Elizabeth Mathews, Joan Carson, Anthony Brickhouse, Enrique Valdes
Handbooks
In an increasingly multicultural and multilingual aviation industry, it is important that accident investigators understand the complex role of language in maintaining safe operations. This Handbook supports investigators to systematically identify language factors in aviation accidents and serious incidents.
Enhancing Cyberspace Monitoring In The United States Aviation Industry: A Multi-Layered Approach For Addressing Emerging Threats, 2023 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Enhancing Cyberspace Monitoring In The United States Aviation Industry: A Multi-Layered Approach For Addressing Emerging Threats, Matthew Janson
Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses
This research project examined the cyberspace domain in the United States (U.S.) aviation industry from many different angles. The research involved learning about the U.S. aviation cyberspace environment, the landscape of cyber threats, new technologies like 5G and smart airports, cybersecurity frameworks and best practices, and the use of aviation cyberspace monitoring capabilities. The research looked at how vulnerable the aviation industry is from cyber-attacks, analyzed the possible effects of cyber-attacks on the industry, and suggests ways to improve the industry's cybersecurity posture. The project's main goal was to protect against possible cyber-attacks and make sure that the aviation industry …
Utilizing The System Engineering Trade Study Analysis Method To Analyze Patient Aeromedical Evacuation, 2023 Air Force Institute of Technology
Utilizing The System Engineering Trade Study Analysis Method To Analyze Patient Aeromedical Evacuation, Sara Shaghaghi, Jeremy M. Slagley, Michael E. Miller, Gaiven Varshney
Faculty Publications
The US Air Force has gone through many aeromedical patient isolation transport system designs. The first designs were developed in response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. The trade study analysis part of the system engineering design method was used to analyze the historic and current aeromedical patient contamination control transport systems. A trade study is a process that evaluates alternatives based upon various “-ilities”, such as reconfigurability, flexibility, durability, cost, and more, and performs a systematic analysis to aid designers in producing a ‘good’ design alternative given the large set of possible solutions. …